Radio receiving set for motor cars



July so, 1963 A. PICCININI RADIO RECEIVING SET FOR MOTOR CARS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1 1958 Ammo PICCIN l NI 1N VEN TOR.

July 30, 1963 A. PICCININI RADIO RECEIVING SET FOR MOTOR CARS 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1, 1958 Amu PICCININI INVENTOR.

, wmmi July 30, 1963 A. PlCClNlNI RADIO RECEIVING SET FOR MOTOR CARS 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 1, 1958 Arnajlo PICCININI wwwzwie'f UnitedStates Patent Ofiice 3,099,797 Patented July 30, 1963 3,099,797 RADIORECEIVING SET FOR MOTOR CARS Arnaldo Piccinini, 396 Via Salaria, Rome,Italy Filed July 1, 1958, Ser. No. 746,008 Claims priority, applicationItaly Oct. 15, 1957 4 Claims. (Cl. 325-312) The present inventionrelates to a radio receiving set particularly suitable for use on motorcars.

The purpose aimed at by this invention is that of providing a radioreceiving set apt to be mounted at its operative position with nomounting work on the motor car and particularly requiring the presenceof no outer antenna on said motor car.

The technical problem set by this invention is solved on the ground ofthe possibilities oflered by the present art, for the embodiment ofradio receiving sets having very reduced size, by the transistorscircuits directly operated under a voltage equal to that of theelectrical equipment of [the car, said receivers being therefore apt toallow any member destined to vary the voltage of the electricalequipment of the car to be dispensed with.

According to this invention a very reduced size radio receiver isprovided, having an antenna of the frame type with \a ferrite core, saidantenna being incorporated in said receiver.

Also, according to this invention, the loud speaker is separated fromthe receiver proper, since the loud speaker due to its intrinsic needscannot be embodiedin such reduced size as provided for by thisinvention, and said loud speaker is mounted within the car body at aposition most suitable to obtain a good response for all of thefrequencies, said loud-speaker being connected to the receiver merely bya cord.

As aforesaid, the receiver according to this invention has a veryreduced size, and this can be embodied using, besides the transistoredcircuits as aforesaid, a variable capacity tuning system with a minimumsize capacitor, intermediate frequency stages embodied with transistorshaving very little dimensions, and, correspondingly, also low frequencyand final stages embodied with very little size transformers.

Thus it will be possible to embody a radio receiver comprising elementsknown per se, and the feature of said receiver is that generally thesize thereof is reduced to such an extent as to allow the mounting orapplication of the receiver in the car at the location necessary toobtain the coupling of the antenna with the electro-magnetic field withno excessive attenuation due to the shielding effect of the metal body.Characteristic locations of the radio receiver, in conformity with theabove concepts, are the locations corresponding to the front windshield,or the rear or side Windows of the body and generally in correspondencewith any non metallic part of the car body.

The receiver may be mounted in several ways, the sole condition beingthat of causing the wave collector incorporated in the apparatus to bein position of receiving the radio signals.

The dimensional feature of minimum hindrance offered by this invention,allows specifically the mounting of the receiver onto the forewindshield with no disturbance to the vision through said windshield,while such a location locates the receiving antenna at the aforesaidsuitable location.

2 Hereinafter some preferred forms of this invention will be moreparticularly pointed out, in connection with the possibilities offeredthereby, but it is to be understood 1 that said forms will be disclosedonly by way of example as the mounting of the receiver on the car bodymaybe obtained in several ways, the sole need being that of causing theantenna incorporated in the receiver to be located in such a position asto be capable of receiving the radio signals. Therefore, according tothis invention the radio receiver may be so embodied as to replace,taking up their functions, some elements already existing and appliedfor instance to the front windshield, such as the rear vision mirror, orthe licence tag holder; alternatively the receiver may also be embodiedas an individual element, and mounted by some means rendering itsremoval either very easy or very diflicult according to whether it isprovided for protecting the receiver against theft by removing it fromthe car or by fastening said receiver to said car in a particularly safeway.

This invention will be more particularly described with reference to theattached drawings showing, in a diagrammatical form some possibleembodiments of this invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a fragmentary view, from inside of the car body, of thewindshield to which is applied the radio receiver which has also thefunction of rear vision mirror;

FIG. 2 shows in slightly enlarged scale a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1taken along the line II--II;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a radio receiver in the form of a shallowcylindrical box replacing the licence tag holder;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 taken along the line IVIVand confined to the case, to the antenna and to a knob;

' FIG. 5 is a fragmentary diagrammatical view showing the mounting of aradio receiver having no further function besides its specific function,by means of a supporting and blocking bracket;

FIG. 6 is a side View of the arrangement of FIG. 5 seen according to thearrow VI.

With reference to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the instance whereinthe radio receiver is substituted for the rear vision mirror. In saidfigures, 1 is the windshield of the motor car to the upper edge of whichis fastened the usual articulated arm 2 supporting the mirror. Accordingto this invention, the arm 2 instead of supporting the usual mirror,said arm supports the receiver which, due to its very reduced size,takes up the same front area which would be taken by the usual rearvision mirror. In FIG. 2 only the cross-sectional contour of thereceiver 3 has been shown and merely for indicative purposes, since norelevance have the inner circuits of the apparatus to the effects of[the invention. The case 3 contains the ferrite antenna 4 which isarranged close to the windshield 1 to embody the desired couplingconditions, with the electromagnetic field.

The articulated arm 2 contains, according to this invention theconductors for the electrical supply of the receiver as Well as for theconnection to the loud speaker (not shown in the figures).

FIG. 1 clearly shows that on the ends of the prismatic box, having agenerally horizontal axis and forming the.

case 3, are arranged turned towards the inside of the car body, theknobs 6 and 7 for controlling the volume and for tuning the receiver,respectively, while the central zone 7 of said box is occupied by themirror which fulfills its usual function.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the instance wherein the casing 8 of the receiver hasa cylindrical shallow shape and is provided, on the surface facedtowards the inside of the body car, with the knobs for the tuning andvolume adjustrnent 9 and 10 respectively, as well as with the tuningscale. The casing 8 has at its lower portion the connection device 12for the input conductors and for the connection to the loud speaker, andcontains in its inside portion near to the surface facing towards theoutside of the car, the ferrite antenna 13-. Also in this instance, theantenna is arranged at the suitable position for the desired coupling.The casing 8, adjacent to its base remotefrom that carrying said knobs,is provided with a suction cup 14 allowing the apparatus to be steadilyfastened to the windshield glass. In the central zone 15 of the suctioncup 14 the licence tag of the car is to be applied, so that the unitfulfills the usual functions of the licencetag holder when the sucker 14is applied to the inner surface of the windshield (not shown in figure).

FIGS. 5 and 6 relate to the instance according to which no task ofpre-existing devices, to be replaced by the apparatus, is to befulfilled by the receiver. In this case the illustrative embodiment hasthe sole purpose of indicating a possible mounting of the receiver in anarrangement which can be termed antithef- The receiver is generallydenoted at 16 and is provided with the ferrite antenna 17; the casing 16is rigid with the strong metal straps 18 which in turn are fastened tothe car by the bolts 20 fastened to the cover 19 of the instrument boardin a concealed location :so that they can be removed only aftertroublesome and time consuming operations. The straps 18 hold thereceiver so that the antenna 17 is adjacent to the windshield 21 of thecar, while the control knobs 22 of the receiver are readily accessible.From the lower portion of the casing 16, and preferably between thewindshield and the straps 18 are the wires for the connection to thebattery and to the loudspeaker.

Obviously, other forms and other systems may be designed to mount thereceiver at its suitable location, and it is therefore intended thatalthough this invention has been illustrated and described in somepreferred forms, it is to be understood that constructive variations maypractically be adopted without departing from the scope of thisinvention.

I claim:

1. In a motor car having a framed windshield, an assembly comprising arear view mirror, a hollow casing on the back of said mirror and lyingentirely within the profile of the mirror as viewed from the reflectingside of the mirror, a radio receiver and amplifier circuit mountedwithin said casing, a frame-type antenna with a ferrite core connectedto said radio receiver and amplifier circuit and mounted entirely withinsaid casing along the portion thereof remote from the side of saidcasing on which said mirror is positfined, :and mounting means on saidcasing adapted to mount said casing on the frame of the windshieldwithin the car and in a position in which the mirror and easing dependsfrom the frame and with the casing. between the mirror and thewindshield and the portion of said casing with the antenna thereinclosely adjacent the windshield, and a loud speaker mounted in said carat a point spaced from said assembly, and .wire connecting said receiverand amplifier circuit to said loud speaker, whereby the antenna andreceiver and amplifying system is positioned out of the line of visionof the driver of the motor car behind the rear view mirror in theotherwise unused space between the mirror and the windshield, and anantenna on the outside of the motor car and a connecting wire to theradio receiver and amplifier circuit within the car is unnecessary.

2. In a motor car having a framed windshield, an assembly comprising arear view mirror, "a hollow casing on the back of said mirror and lyingentirely within the profile of the mirror as viewed from the reflectingside of the mirror, a radio receiver and amplifier circuit mountedwithin said casing, a frame-type antenna with a ferrite core connectedto said radio receiver and amplifier circuit and mounted entirely withinsaid casing along the portion thereof remote from the side of saidcasing on which said mirror is positioned, and mounting means on saidcasing adapted to mount said casing on the frame of the windshieldwithin the car and in a position in which the mirror and casing dependsfrom the frame and with the casing between the mirror and the windshieldand the portion of said casing with the antenna therein closely adjacentthe windshield, whereby the antenna and receiving and amplifying systemis positioned out of the line of vision of the driver of the motor carbehind the rear.

tirely within the profile of the mirror as viewed from the reflectingside of the mirror, a radio receiver and amplifier circuit mountedwithin said casing, a frame-type antenna with a ferrite core connectedto said radio receiver and amplifier circuit and mounted entirely withinsaid casing along the portion thereof remote from the side of saidcasing on which said mirror is positioned, and mounting means on saidcasing mounting said casing on the frame of the windshield within thecar and in a position in which the mirror and casing depend from theframe and which the casing between the mirror and the windshield and theportion of said casing with the antenna therein closely adjacent thewindshield, whereby the antenna and receiving and amplifying system ispositioned out of the line of vision of the driver of the motor carbehind the rear view mirror in the otherwise unused space between themirror and the windshield, and an antenna on the outside of the motorcar and a connecting wire to the radio receiver and amplifier circuitwithin the car is unnecessary.

4. An assembly comprising a. rear view mirror, a ihollow casing on theback of said mirror and lying entirely within the profile of the mirroras viewed from the reflecting side of the mirror, a radio receiver andamplifier circuit mounted within said casing, 21 frame/type antenna witha ferrite core connected to said radio receiver and amplifier circuitand mounted entirely within said casing along the portion thereof remotefrom the side of said casing on which said mirror is positioned, andmountin-g means on said casing adapted to mount said casing on a frameof a windshield within a motor car in a position in which the mirror andcasing depends. from the frame and with the casing between the mirrorand thewindshield and the portion of the casing with the antenna thereinclosely adjacent the windshield, whereby the an,- tenna and receivingand amplifying system is positioned out of the line of vision of thedriver of the motor car behind the rear view mirror in the otherwiseunused space.-

between the mirror and the windshield, and an antenna on the outside ofthe motor car and a connecting wire to the radio receiver and amplifiercircuit within the car is, unnecessary.

5 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES 1,948,222 Hodny Feb. 20,1934Publication: Pocket Transistor Receiver, Wireless 1,985,873 Vail Dec.25, 1934 World, November 1956, pp. 538 and 539. 1,997,254 Forsythe eta1. Apr. 9, 1935 Publication: 1956 Transistor Portalble Design, Tele-2,163,471 Sharp June 20, 1939 5 Tech & Electronic Industries, April1956, page 101. 2,307,805 Schnell Jan. 12, 1943 Electronics, Jan. 1,1957, Cordless Audio Receiving 2,392,665 Gustafson Jan. 8, 1946 Devices,pages 200 and 202. 2,447,576 Gustafson Aug. 24, 1948 Woods-Hill:Portable Transistor Superhet, Wireless 2,836,818 De Virgilis May 27,1958 World January 1957, pages 15-18.

2,938,113 Schnell et a1 May 24, 1960

1. IN A MOTOR CAR HAVING A FRAMED WINDSHIELD, AN ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AREAR VIEW MIRROR, A HOLLOW CASING ON THE BACK OF SAID MIRROR AND LYINGENTIRELY WITHIN THE PROFILE OF THE MIRROR AS VIEWED FROM THE REFLECTINGSIDE OF THE MIRROR, A RADIO RECEIVER AND AMPLIFIER CIRCUIT MOUNTEDWITHIN SAID CASING, A FRAME-TYPE ANTENNA WITH A FERRITE CORE CONNECTEDTO SAID RADIO RECEIVER AND AMPLIFIER CIRCUIT AND MOUNTED ENTIRELY WITHINSAID CASING ALONG THE PORTION THEREOF REMOTE FROM THE SIDE OF SAIDCASING ON WHICH SAID MIRROR IS POSITIONED, AND MOUNTING MEANS ON SAIDCASING ADAPTED TO MOUNT SAID CASING ON THE FRAME OF THE WINDSHIELDWITHIN THE CAR AND IN A POSITION IN WHICH THE MIRROR AND CASING DEPENDSFROM THE FRAME AND WITH THE CASING BETWEEN THE MIRROR AND THE WINDSHIELDAND THE PORTION OF SAID CASING WITH THE ANTENNA THEREIN CLOSELY ADJACENTTHE WINDSHIELD, AND A LOUD SPEAKER MOUNTED IN SAID CAR AT A POINT SPACEDFROM SAID ASSEMBLY, AND WIRE CONNECTING SAID RECEIVER AND AMPLIFIERCIRCUIT TO SAID LOUD SPEAKER, WHEREBY THE ANTENNA AND RECEIVER ANDAMPLIFYING SYSTEM IS POSITIONED OUT OF THE LINE OF VISION OF THE DRIVEROF THE MOTOR CAR BEHIND THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN THE OTHERWISE UNUSEDSPACED BETWEEN THE MIRROR AND THE WINDSHIELD, AND AN ANTENNA ON THEOUTSIDE OF THE MOTOR CAR AND A CONNECTING WIRE TO THE RADIO RECEIVER ANDAMPLIFIER CIRCUIT WITHIN THE CAR IS UNNECESSARY.